By Ben Reese
POTTSTOWN — The howling wind didn’t detract from the play of 13 boys and two girls competing in the District One Golf Championship’s first day of play.
In fact, two of the boys led the tournament at some point during the 18 holes and one of them ended up with a share of the lead going into the second round of play. The boys competed at Raven’s Claw Golf Club and the girls played at Turtle Creek Golf Course.
For Ben Revness from Pennsbury and Wyatt Underwood from Souderton, confidence was the word of the day. Revness, a freshman, shot an even-par 71 and Underwood, a senior, a one-over 72, tying him with North Penn’s Kellen Toussaint for third place.
This was Revness’s first shot at district play and he performed excellently. Starting on the ninth hole, he collected three birdies and one eagle while bogeying five holes.
“I was feeling pretty good with my swing,” he said. “I felt pretty locked in coming into today.
“I’m really confident (going into the second day). I like having my swing down and I’m excited.”
Underwood also exuded confidence.
When asked about the best part of his game, he said, “Believing in myself really, honestly. I kind of went out there with no expectations.
“I wanted to qualify. I just put in the work, did everything I could and felt confident about everything all day.”
He also said his drives and long irons were the best clubs in his bag.
“My drives were perfect,” Underwood said. “My drives and my long irons. I felt pretty confident with my drives.
“Every drive went straight down the middle. Every long iron was just where I wanted it.”
Starting on No. 13, he finished with three bogeys and two birdies. He shot 37 on the front nine and 35 on the back.
Meanwhile, Revness was staying right near the top of the leaderboard. He had a bogey on nine, his first hole, and a bogey on 10 before birdying 11 and 12 with a par, a bogey and two pars finishing out his first 10 holes.
Then, with him sitting at one-over, he came to the first hole, a 506-yard par-5. After a drive and a second shot, he hit a 56-degree wedge from about 65 yards from the hole, landing it about five feet short of the cup and watched it roll into the hole for an eagle, putting him at one-under. Two bogeys and a birdie finished up his round at 71.
For the girls, Council Rock North’s Noor Mehta and Gigi Gratz from North Penn both advanced to the second round. Mehta sits in fifth place at eight-over 80 and Gratz is tied for ninth with a 13-over 85.
Mehta, who started the day on No. 3, had one birdie and nine bogeys. Gratz, who also began the day on No. 3, had one birdie, nine bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey.
Advancing for the boys in addition to Revness, Underwood and Toussaint are Souderton’s Danny Ross at 74, Carter Hemminger from Upper Moreland and CB West’s Andy Brexler both at 75, Wissahickon’s Ty Sheftic, Chase Andrews from Souderton, Jake Capps from Abington, Upper Dublin’s Luke Wilmoth, Council Rock North’s Rithvik Nimma and Jackson Valmore of Central Bucks West all at 76.
In the Class AA division, the lone Suburban One League golfer, Corvin Bridge from New Hope Solebury, tied for the lead with Jenkintown’s Joey Chachkin at 77.
The second day of golf in the District One Golf Championships tees off on Tuesday, October 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Turtle Creek.
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